Turkish religious chief calls for aid to Gaza, boycotting 'Israel'
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The president of the Directorate of Religious Affairs in Turkey sheds light on the importance of continuing to boycott "Israel".
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Ali Erbaş, the head of Turkey's highest religious authority, speaks to the media in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, March 16, 2020. (AP)
The president of the Directorate of Religious Affairs in Turkey, Ali Erbaş, highlighted the urgency of sending aid to Gaza and perpetuating the boycott of "Israel" as a means of pressure on the Israeli occupation to end its war on Gaza.
Addressing worshippers following al-Tarawih prayers, Erbaş emphasized that in all cases of oppression and persecution, one should do everything in their power to stand by the oppressed.
He added that as they collectively pray al-Tarawih and greet the holy month of Ramadan, under the dome of the Haci Bayram Veli Mosque in a warm and calm ambiance, "our brothers and sisters" in Gaza have no shelter and are grappling with hunger and the cold.
For this reason, he stressed, "We must do everything we need to do to stop the oppression" in Gaza.
Erbaş highlighted the vitality of sending aid to Gaza and called on the worshippers to continue boycotting "Israel" and maintain their prayers for Gaza and Palestine.
He further shed light on the importance of shifting the world's attention toward ending "this monstrosity".
IOF impose restrictions on Al-Aqsa during Ramadan
The Israeli occupation forces enforced restrictions on the evening of March 10, limiting entry for young individuals into the holy al-Aqsa Mosque for the evening and al-Tarawih prayers. Only women and individuals over 40 were allowed in, with passage hindered by checkpoints, just before the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.
The occupation forces banned numerous Palestinians from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque, blocking young individuals from entering through the Hittah and al-Qattanin gates for evening prayers.
Despite the occupation forces' entry restrictions at al-Aqsa Mosque, dozens of Palestinians managed to overcome the obstacles set by the occupation. They entered the mosque's courtyards to complete Tarawih prayers on the first night of Ramadan, as reported by Palestinian news sites on social media.
Palestinians who were prohibited from entering the al-Aqsa Mosque prayed in its vicinity, performing evening and Tarawih prayers near the Bab al-Rahma Cemetery in occupied al-Aqsa. Others prayed around the Lions Gate of the mosque.
Defying occupation measures, many residents prayed in the Old City alleys of occupied al-Quds and near the al-Yusufiyya Cemetery.
